Kindergarten
by Haruka Piro Tenou
Summary: Haruka and Michiru meet for the first time in Juuban's kindergarten. *Chapter 3 is up.*
1. Kindergarten Version 1.0: Snuggles Shows...

I think I threw the house out the window...

Disclaimers: I don't own Bishoujo Senshi SailorMoon but I do own Juuban's Kindergarten and the principal is Michiru and if you believe all this stuff you better go check what's inside that big skull of yours.

Kindergarten

Haruka's big, watery blue eyes started wandering again, from boy to boy and from girl to girl, from a tree to another, to anything but her father, who sat with her on his legs, giving her the typical speech every father gives his daughter the first day of Kindergarten.

"... now, Haruka, what did I say?" Haruka's head jerked violently to face him.

"Huh?" 

Tenou Masaouichi passed his hand over his face in a desperate, tired way. For a five year old, Haruka was exceptionally strong, and too smart for her stepmother's wishes. But what was her attention span, left too much to desire. He smiled tenderly at his daughter. "Just be good, okay, Haruka? And don't hit anyone, if he doesn't deserves it." Being five years old, and to Masaouichi's surprise, she had already knocked the daylights out of second graders who bullied her in the park. He straightened up the little denim overall Haruka wore over her white shirt, and put her in the ground. "Got everything?"

"Hai, Papa!" She replied enthusiastically. 

"The book mama gave to you?" Why would a kindergarten girl would read? He had no idea. It seemed that Haruka got bored of her own house and started reading by herself. The 'book mama gave her' was the story of stars and planets, and the light that preceeded them. Haruka's mother had finished it just some months before she passed away in an accident. It was odd; Haruka knew about this. Every january the 27th they visited her grave and she talked to her mother. But she had never, ever asked her father why her mother had passed away or why he had been married again only two years from that.

"Uh-huh." She nodded in affirmation.

"Your blanket for nap time?"

"Here." She showed her backpack proudly at her father. He smiled; he had bought it specifically for that day. It was a deep blue, with a white, shiny star in the upper right and a manga-like superdeformed little girl on the inferior left. Haruka had loved it. The mentioned blanket lay neatly wrapped inside it.

"Mr. Snuggles?" Ah, Mr. Snuggles, how could she forget him? That bear that accompanied her since she was in the craddle. She nodded. He took the bear from her backpack, and talked to him like he would talk to a person. "Okay, Snuggles-san, you better take good care of my little girl, will you?" His hand reached out and ruffled Haruka's already messy hair. The little blonde giggled joyously. 

"He says he will!" She said.

"I know he will." She put Mr. Snuggles back in the backpack. "Now give you father a kiss." He kneeled and Haruka jumped to plant a big kiss on his cheek. He walked her to her new classroom, where a lot of boys and girls of all the sizes thinkable for little people only five year old played with toys, their own and not their own. Haruka jumped in anxiety. She bid goodbye to her father (she knew he was going to be away for the rest of the day) and darted inside the room. Masaouichi sighed and walked to the caretaker-teacher, indicating her who was his daughter, alergies (she had none so he wanted the teacher to have an eye if she sprouted something), bloodtype and warnings-- for the classmates. 

Hurricane Haruka had arrived and she was making sure no one would forget her. Ever.

******

Michiru Kaioh was a calm little girl... until she was given a candy. Then the sugar rush was so humongous no one would tire her down. 

Her father commited this mistake, often. And him and his wife always payed for his mistakes, so today they were glad someone else would find out about Michiru's sugar highs. 

Kaioh Kumori and Tsukime were a rich couple; Kumori was a violin conccertista, mainly known in Asia and Europe, that oftenly was obliged to take her beloved only daughter in hard, tiring, exhausting trips. Tsukime, in the meanwhile, was a painter, worldwide known, whose exhibitions took most of his time. He always had the hours of the countries in which the main museums and exhibitions were in display; all the hours of the world, excepting Japan's. Michiru had been born by a miracle of timing. Kumori couldn't believe it when she knew she was pregnant; her husband's schedule and her own never matched.

Michiru was coquet, too coquet for her age. She had woken up early that day, excited out of herself, to help her find a dress. She had picked her own shoes and put them on with a little help. Kumori was proud that her little baby was growing into such a nice, beautiful young lady, but wasn't she growing up a little too fast?

Tsukime had sighed during breakfast, commenting that he would miss having his 'little muse' running around the house. He, too, thought that life seemed to slip out of their hands and that their daughter was growing up so fast there weren't nearly enough hours on a day to see her grow up and learn about life.

"Mama, mama! Is that kindergarten?" Kumori felt Michiru's minute hand tugging at her skirt.

"Yes, Michi..." She took her hand and walked her down to the classroom she had been indicated. "And they will be you friends. Be nice to them."

"Uh-huh." Michiru nodded, her eyes closed into happy slits. Suddenly a face of terror came to her small features. "When are you coming back for me, mama?"

"In just a couple of hours, Michiru." She kneeled and gave her child a kiss in both cheeks, making her smile again by reasuring she would be back for her. "You've got your drawing book?"

"Yes, it's here." She pulled her backpack to her front. "And also my pencil and my crayons."

"I guess you're all packed then, Michiru." She smiled, thought her eyes were misting. She didn't want to cry over something as special as her child's first day at school, so she rushed it all out. "I love you. Be good, ne?"

"Yes, mama, I will be good." Michiru gave her mother a kiss and waved her goodbye. Her eyes then turned to the gentle teacher, who offered her her hand and presented her to her classmates.

******

Haruka had been playing with a toy car she borrowed to a classmate for about fifteen minutes. She was enchanted by it. Cars had to be the coolest thing in the whole wide world besides chocolate mousse and Mr. Snuggles. Her own father drove an imported Ferrari, and Haruka had insisted many times that she wanted to drive it, bringing up a laugh from her father and then a negation. She would pout and act angry until he took her to the Ice Cream Parlor; then he was all forgiven again.

She felt a strong push in her shoulder and being on her knees, she fell forward on her face, hitting her nose. Almost instantly, a huge sense of pain came to her face.

"You!" A big, fat boy had pushed her. "Why did you took his toy?" He asked rudely.

"I asked him *snif* to lend... *sob* to me..." She put both her hands over her nose. It hurt. She made an effort not to cry, as she didn't like to cry.

"I want it!" He lounged forward for the little car. Haruka put an angry face and took the toy with one hand, the other still covering her red nose.

"I'm playing *snif* ...with it!" 

"You're not!" His chubby hand pushed Haruka back to the floor, making her fall down to the floor on her butt. Haruka sobbed, with the car in one hand, and the other over her face. She knew she could hit him unconscious, but her papa had told her to be nice to her classmates and she had promised.

"I AM!" She said loudly. "I don't want to give it to you!"

The boy and some other little boys closed on her, looking angry. Would she have to hit them and break her promise to her papa? 

"Leave her alone!" The fat boy recieved a hit in the shoulder with a toy. A tiny, musical voice came from behind. The boys turned. An angry looking Michiru was behind them, a plastic baseball bat in her hand. She ran to Haruka, who had put the car in her frontal pocket and was now sobbing with both hands over her red nose. "Are you okay?"

"I t-think so..." She responded. The chubby boy put himself on his feet again and walked to them. 

"Why did you pushed me!?" He yelled, by decibels not atracting the teachers.

"You're being mean to her!" She responded, hugging Haruka's side. Haruka smiled a little. Was this aqua haired girl her friend?

"I can be mean to anyone I want!" He lounged forward, this time pushing Michiru to the floor. She landed painfully on her buttocks.

Now, there's only so many times you can stand landing on soft parts. Michiru's eyes, painfully closed, opened full of tears. Haruka looked over at her, confused. Was she going to cry?

The boys sniggered. Haruka frowned.

Finally, Michiru couldn't swallow the pain of her hurt pride and butt. "WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!" She cried. The teachers looked over. The boys now were laughing, turning to go back. Haruka's sobs subsided and anger took their place. She made sure the borrowed car was on her pocket, and then ran over the boy, jumping over him and knocking him to the ground. She started hitting him with her minutes fists, as he covered his face and squealed in fear.

"Nobody hurts my friends!" She cried, anger tears coming out from her red eyes. Her nose, she hadn't noticed before, was red and bloody. "Nobody!"

Michiru still cried from her place in the floor, but she could see the way Haruka used the boy as a punching bag and felt better. 

Haruka wanted to punch him, punch him bad. She wanted to make him cry as he had made her friend cry-- until the felt hands below her arms. A teacher was picking her up.

******

Haruka's nose had only a little cut. She was cured, put a bandaid over it, and felt much better. As for the boy, Haruka had left him in pieces. The headteacher understood why Haruka had fought with him, lectured Haruka about hitting her schoolmates, and send the boy to his home, with a note to his mother. 

The teacher had told everyone that it was nap time, just about two hours before parents came to pick them up. Haruka and some boys helped her to put the mats over the floor. Everyone took out their nap stuff and Haruka took out her blanket and Mr. Snuggles.

Michiru looked ashamed. She had forgotten her blanket. The teacher asked her to tell her parents to not forget her blanket next day and looked around for someone with a blanket big enough to get Michiru in, as they didn't had spare blankets. Everyone was drifting of to Slumberland already. The teacher gently tapped Haruka in the arm. She wasn't asleep yet. "Tenou-san?" Haruka looked at the teacher as if asking what did she want. She had put Mr. Snuggles as if he was going to sleep too. "What's his name?"

Haruka smiled proudly. "Mr. Snuggles."

The teacher smiled inwardly, but kept the outside gentle. Haruka would get offended if she laughed at her teddy bear and she didn't want to wake up the already dormant infants. "Well, do you think Kaiou-san will fit in with you and Mr. Snuggles?"

"As long as she doesn't kicks Mr. Snuggles in her sleep." She said, being the smart- mouth everyone would love years later. The teacher laughed softly, helped Michiru into the mat and covered them both with the blanket.

"What's your name?" Haruka softly whispered, putting her head over her hand.

"Kaiou Michiru." She smiled. She loved to present herself, as any five year old would after long years of being presented by her parents. "Yours?"

"Tenou Haruka." She said.

"Who's him?" Michiru asked, pointing at Mr. Snuggles.

"He's Mr. Snuggles!" She presented her teddy bear enthusiastically. She then looked over Michiru. "You don't have a bear?"

"No, I forgot him at home..." Michiru said, her eyes dropping. Then she lightened up. "I will bring him tomorrow for Mr. Snuggles to meet."

"Good idea!" The little toddlers giggled gently, being then thrown a dirty look by the teacher, who stood by the door and had had a hard work driving all the kids to sleep. Haruka pushed Mr. Snuggles to Michiru. "Have him. I sleep with him everynight and you haven't got your teddy bear in here, so you'll sleep much better if you've got him!" She said smiling. Michiru blushed. 

"Are you sure?" She asked unsecurely. "I wouldn't be able to sleep without my bear..."

"Sure." She said brilliantly. Michiru smiled, and hugged the bear to her small body. 

"Thank you."

"Any time." Haruka then lay to sleep, biding sweet dreams to Michiru and closing her eyes. Still smiling, Michiru slowly did the same.

******

Haruka woke up in the middle of the night, thirteen years later. Her throat was dry, so she reached for the night table for her water bottle and took a couple of sips. She then looked down at the naked beauty that was displayed before her. 

Michiru's entire long, slim body seemed to be bathed in the moonlight that entered from the window. Her slender legs, without a trace of accident nor scar (being the only part of her body that hadn't been attacked by a daimon or a monster in the general sense of speaking), were lightly flexed at the knees. She was sleeping on her side. But her arms... was she hugging something? She was on this end of the bed, so it couldn't be herself who Michiru was hugging... 

She smiled when it dawned into her that Mr. Snuggles had the fortune of being hugged by her beloved. Her mouth opened into a yawn, she stretched, and hugged both Michiru and Mr. Snuggles, falling almost immediately into sleep, helped by both her favorite teddy bears.

Fin

I dedicate this to Ari-chan, whose short stories have absolutely no sense but anyway are lovely. We have been passing Mr. Snuggles, who was originally hers, back and forth between mails, and finally I thought of a story; a kinda loony one but anyway...

And I pull up an apology to Ari-chan: I'm sorry, this story doesn't fit into "The Origin of Mr. Snuggles", but it wouldn't anyway!

I ask you to please review. Believe it or not, feedback do works!

And also, magic will happen to whoever finds the hint I put into this fic. It had much to do with Bishoujo Senshi SailorUranus...

Haruka


	2. Kindergarten Version 2.0: The Owen Prese...

Disclaimer: You know the disclaimer, people, don't make me repeat it.

Kindergarten Version 2.0

Michiru smiled childlishly as she placed her paints in the backpack. She was sure not to forget them again, just like last week. Finally reacomodating them over the blanket, at the side of her coloring books, she yawned. Her mother, Kumori, smiled and took her by the armpits. "Sleepy?" She asked as she carried her to her room. Michiru nodded sleepily, her eyelids half closed, and fell asleep even before touching the bed.

******

Tenou Masaouichi noticed that while he read a story to his daughter, Haruka, she had fallen sound asleep. He smiled warmly. 

She looked so much like her mother; maybe that was the reason for which he treasured her so much. So strong, yet so small and fragile. Such a marvelous little package, Yuki had often said before passing away. She had loved Haruka more then anything in the whole wide world. His strong, marked features softened when he brought up memories: a particular one jumped to his sight. 

The most beautiful, wonderful memento a loving father could think about: he remembered the first time, at the hospital, that Yuki had breastfeed Haruka. He remembered Yuki laughing at him when the doctor told them it was a girl: he had paled. Now, he could only cherish those moments and guard his daughter as he thought his wife would have.

"Where are you, Yuki?" He whispered, as he ruffled Haruka's pale blonde locks.

******

"Michi!" Haruka jumped in her seat. "Look, papa, there's Michi!" 

Masaouichi pulled over and parked the car. Where Haruka was pointing, stood a small aqua haired girl dressed in a cute little dress, talking to her mom and clutching her backpack. "So she's Michiru?"

"Yes, papa, she is, she is!" She made a mad grab at his shirt, pulling him away from the car, while he desperately tried to close the lock. "Come on, papa!"

"Wait, youkai-chan!" He joked, grabbing her from the waist and pulling her easily up. She struggled, giggling, as he closed up the car's locks and tousled her hair. 

"Papa! Papa... don't do that!" She started tousling his hair as well. They arrived at the point in which the Kaiou girls looked at them, messy haired and still smiling. 

"Ohayo, Tenou-san." Kumori politely bowed. "Michiru has told me much about your daughter."

"Ohayo, Kaiou-san. Indeed, Haruka hasn't stopped talking about Michiru since they met each other last week. She insisted me to talk to you, before you took her home." He started combing his hair with his hand. "Sorry about being so unpresentable."

"I do know what does it feels when you've got a daughter, Tenou-san..." She said sitting down. "... I know what's to be unpresentable." She turned to her daughter. "Michi? Everything ready?"

"Yes!" She said enthusiasticly, taking Haruka's hand in her own and jumping. 

"Okay then..." Masaouichi kissed Haruka's cheek farewell and he told her to be good at the Kaiou household. "Off you go."

Haruka nodded happily and ran, hand in hand with Michiru, to the Kindergarten gates. Masaouichi and Kumori stood there, waiting to see them slip out of view. "I *do* beg you to phone me if something happens at your house... My daughter's quite the *unpredictable* little girl..."

Kumori nodded at him, smiling. "I believe we will meet many times more, Tenou-san..."

******

"So I was watching it and papa came and turned it off." Haruka told Michiru, as they sat in the circular table in their classroom. "I wanted to see it." She complained. "But papa said it was not meant for children."

"Papa and mama have done that many times." Michiru nodded at her friend. "They don't let me see news or things like that."

"It's not fair." Haruka pouted, making her friend smile. "I wanna be a grown-up. Then papa won't turn off the TV and I will see whatever I want, and stay up all night, and invite you to stay at home, and have my own toys and cars."

Michiru giggled. "But you'll have to work."

"No, I will race. I will race a Ferrari just like my dad's." She smiled, opening her pack to take her lunch out. "And you?"

"I want to paint, like daddy. And mommy's teaching me how to play violin so I want to do it too." She took her lunch out, and her face contorted, forcing Haruka to laugh loudly. "Ugh, daddy cooked."

"Trade you. Papa cooks well." She gave her lunch to Michiru and started eating. Her face turned blue. "Ugh. Your papa cooked."

"You noticed?" Michiru asked, laughing and eating Haruka's lunch.

******

"So now, we're going to fingerpaint!" The teacher said, receiving a massive 'yay' from the students. "Please get out your paint out and I will give you a piece of paper. You can draw whatever you want."

"I'm going to draw a dolphin!" Michiru said, taking out her paints. "Look! I've got gray, and blue and green. What do you have?"

"Yellow and gray and green. Oh, and clear blue."

"You'll mean light blue."

"Sky blue."

"Sea blue."

"Sky blue!"

"Sea blue!"

Haruka sighed in defeat. "Blue, okay?" Michiru giggled and nodded. 

"What are you going to draw, anyway?"

"The car I'm going to have when I'm a grown up."

Michiru giggled harder. "You have got something with cars, don't you?" Haruka just nodded and started painting.

The class had been painting for about twenty minutes when Michiru leaned on Haruka and noticed something. "Ruka, your painting has got dirt on it."

Haruka panicked momentarily. "Where?!"

"There."

"I don't see it."

"It's there, just by the car's window."

"I still can't find it."

Michiru lost her patience and put her finger over it. "There!"

"Michiru!" Haruka panicked again, harder. "You've got paint on your fingers! You painted on my car!"

Michiru's gaze fell down, ashamed. "Sorry." Haruka felt sorry for making her friend feel so bad just for a picture.

"It doesn't matter. I will paint another and you can paint all that you want over it." Michiru's eyes rose to stare at her and she smiled, trying to ask for forgiveness.

"Thank you."

"Don't be sorry." Haruka gazed at her closer. "You've got something on your nose." She put her finger over Michiru's nose, painting it blue.

"Hey!" Michiru laughed and she painted Haruka's cheek green. Haruka seized a classmate's red pain and passed her hand over Michiru's cheek, while Michiru put a touch of yellow to Haruka's chin. 

The War of the Fingerpainting had started.

******

"Oh my..." Kumori looked at them, her eyebrow twitching. "I think you both need a bath."

"No, mommy, no bath." Michiru complained. "Daddy told you and me he'd order pizza as soon as he arrived and we're gonna miss it if you make us take a bath..." Her mother looked at her with stranged eyes. Michiru just knew what to do. "Pwease?"

Half an hour later, both children were being dragged into the furo. Michiru fumed, and Haruka laughed at her friend's faces of disgust.

"So your papa is going to order pizza?" Haruka asked while cleaning her face. "We never order it at home. My papa's wife says it isn't good for our health, but whenever she's out, papa orders it and we get to eat it all by ourselves!"

"Daddy just orders pizza in very special ocasions. He's told me that you being over to sleep is very special, and that's why he ordered it." Michiru smiled deviously. "Here!" She pushed water at Haruka, who for a minute coughed in confusion. 

"Hey, that's not fair! You take it!" She pushed water at Michiru, who started laughing madly. The water wave war kept on until Michiru's mother entered the bathroom to find it's floor soaked, and both children smiling innocently.

"It was Milo, a sock-elf."

******

Michiru jumped into her pajamas while Haruka put her sleeping pants and shirt on. Michiru yawned.

"Was that pizza delicious or what?" Haruka asked. 

"Yes, but I must ask daddy not to order sardines again." Michiru stuck her tongue out on the side of her mouth, in repulsion. 

"Ne, sardines was okay." Haruka said, checking on her bag. She took Mr. Snuggles out of the bag. "Mr. Snuggles will eat the sardines you leave aside." She said, embracing the bear. "He likes them."

"How do you know?" Michiru said, jumping into her bed and patting the place next to hers. Haruka jumped into it. 

"He's a bear. Bears like eating fish. I saw it on TV." She leaned into the cushion. "Besides, Mr. Snuggles likes you very much and will do anything I ask him to do for you."

"I don't need him to do that for me." She put her hand behind her cushion and retrieved an octopus. "I've got Owen."

"So he's Owen!" Haruka smiled. "You never told me he was an octopus."

"You never asked." Michiru yawned. Haruka smiled, and turned off the lights. She saw Michiru's face lightened by the light of the moon, flowing from the window. As she saw Michiru slowly fall asleep, she wondered what would happen to them in the future. Sleep slowly took over her and she fell asleep, clutching Mr. Snuggles hard to her chest.

******

Thirteen years later, Michiru slept. Calm. Nude; in the hot nights of Tokyo's summer, she'd rather be comfortable than modest. And besides, what's wrong on being naked when it's a heated night and you've got your lover sleeping by your side?

Haruka, on the other hand, was widely awake. Nude too. She watched her prey from a safe distance. A small, very small tentacle crept up Michiru's thigh, hips, torso, breasts, and neck. Haruka's mouth followed closely, placing butterfly kisses in the places marked by the small octopus. Michiru slowly opened her eyes, writhing delightedly. 

Haruka's eyes met with Michiru's, and she placed a kiss on her lover's lips. At the same time she placed Owen over Michiru's head. Michiru giggled. She took Mr. Snuggles from his resting place and Owen from her head, put them by their side and gave Haruka her kiss back. Owen and Mr. Snuggles watched. 

End.

Author's Ranting:

Erm... no comments?

Again, this goes dedicated to Ari-chan, who created Owen a little too late to conjoin him into Kindergarten's Version 1.0, but what the heck, Kindergarten Version 2.0 was made for him to debut. Thought, I don't know what am I gonna do if she keeps on making stuffed animals.

I dedicate this too to my friend Dionne-chan, who forced me to dedicate it, but I love her nonetheless. Keep on writing, Dionne-chan!

The Milo-the-sock-elf pun was randomness by my part, made for Ari-chan to enjoy. You'll find it's reason in the ending of her fic "Owen". 

Haruka.


	3. Kindergarten Version 3.0: Pluto's Pack.

"Look!" Michiru took Haruka's hand a bit too excitedly. "There's the bus! There's the bus!"

"You're... hurting... my hand..." Haruka winced. "Let... go... of... my hand..."

Michiru grinned guiltily. "Sorry." She let go. "I'm excited."

"Me too." Haruka waved her hurt hand as if trying to have some sensation back. "But next time you get excited, I'll bring a boxing glove so that you don't hurt my hand."

Michiru giggled, and turned to face her mother. "We're going, mama. They're calling our classroom." Kumori smiled. 

"Then give me a kiss." Michiru obeyed. "I will pick you both around four in the afternoon." She turned to see Masaouichi, who nodded his head as if to show his consent. Haruka rolled up her sleeve, showing a digital watch.

"I know how to read the hour." She said, very proud of herself.

"Of course you do." Kumori said, messing Haruka's hair, who giggled. "See you both later, ok?" She gave both a kiss in the cheek and left. Masaouichi kneeled and hugged Michiru and Haruka in one big bear hug. 

"I don't want you wandering around for werewolves, Haruka. You know they don't exist." He said. Haruka pouted sadly. 

"Aww, papa... they're real! Tsukime-san showed me one!"

Masaouichi rolled his eyes and gave Haruka a kiss in the cheek. "Michiru, make sure she doesn't goes off wandering, will you?"

"Of course, Masao-san." Masaouichi smiled. His name was still too difficult for Michiru to say, so she simply called him Masao. 

"Thank you." He gave Michiru a kiss in the cheek and left too. 

Little did he know, the two little mischief makers were crossing their fingers behind their backs. They ran off, laughing, and stepped in the bus with the rest of the children.

******

"What do you think we'll find there?" Haruka asked their friends. Michiru sat beside her, but she listened with her head over Haruka's shoulder. 

"A treasure!" A girl said.

"Don't be dumb, Pippo!" Another boy said. The girl's name was Madeleine; she was the daughter of a french embassador in Japan but no one could really spell her name so they simply called her Pippo because of her teddy bear. The boy's name was Sochi. "We'll find a bear!"

"Like Mr. Snuggles?" Michiru asked, wide eyed.

"A bit bigger, Michi..." Haruka grinned at her, like asking her 'what kind of a question was that?'. "I want to find a werewolf."

"What's that?" A thin boy who used glases asked.

"A man that has been bitten by a wolf in the throes of a full moon." Haruka explained. "Michiru's papa told me about them. "They're human by day, wolves by night, and they're deadly."

"Then why do you want to find one?" Sochi asked, amazed. Haruka grinned widely and showed them her camera. 

"I want to take a photo."

"And how do you expect to take a photo of a werewolf if we're going to leave the forest at three?" Pippo piped out.

"He'll show, he'll show." Haruka waved them unimportantly.

******

"So, children!" The instructor called them, and the masses moved around him. "Today, we're going to recolect leaves!" The children made a massive 'yay'. "We're going to fix you into groups of two. The forest is very small, so if you see very few trees, or a fence, you have to turn back. If you feel lost, every twenty meters there are signs directing you to where's the clearing and the bus. Try to collect at least 50 different leaves; the group who was more different leaves will win a prize!"

Sochi and Pippo got fixed together, while Haruka and Michiru made their own group. The rest of the classmates quickly got fixed into different groups, and half an hour later, the leaf hunting was in open season.

******

"Twelve... seventeen... nineteen... twenty...twenty five... twenty nine! Haruka, we've got twenty nine leaves! I'm sure we must be winning!" Michiru said, smiling wildly. They would win for sure. She stared at Haruka, who was giving her back at her. "Haruka?"

"I heard something."

"What did you hear?" Michiru put the leaves in a plastic bag and zipped it close. Haruka put a hand in her mouth.

"Steps!" 

"But we're very far from the other groups." 

"Look at this." Haruka pointed at a mark of broken branches and mud. It was a footstep. "This is my werewolf."

"How do you know it's... a... a werewolf?" Michiru was starting to worry. The tales her father had told them had been terrorific; what if they were real?

"Look." Haruka put her own foot besides the footstep. It was at least two or three centimeters bigger than Haruka's shoe size. This, for them, was like comparing Michiru's shoe size to a baby Yeti's. "There's more. Come with me." She took Michiru by the hand, but Michiru pulled back. 

"Wait." She reached for the floor and took seven different fallen leaves; she silently put them in the bag, zipped it close and stuck it into Haruka's backpack. 

"I'm loosing my werewolf!" Haruka said; they started runing alongside with the footsteps, who started to be less muddier. The forest started to get dark, to the point that Haruka took Michiru's trembling hand so she wouldn't lose her. Finally, they reached the darkest part of it, in which something was making sounds; Michiru's blood became ice, while Haruka fumbled for the camera. 

The noises became faintier. It seemed the werewolf, or whatever it was, was fumbling with clothing. Michiru started shivering. "It's eating someone... Haruka, please... forget the photo..."

"No, not until I get my snap at it." She whispered. 

The clothing sound stopped, and steps started walking closer to them. Haruka started measuring. Seven steps... four steps... one step...

A dark, tall figure appeared from behind the curtain of leaves. Michiru shrieked, while Haruka took a snap at the figure and tried to set off runing, with Michiru from a hand. The figure groaned at the camera's flash but it took Haruka's other hand with incredible force. Haruka tried to slip and wiggle but it was to no avail. It had her in a fierce grip. 

Michiru noticed this and ran to it, attacking with her small fists. "Let her go, let Haruka go! Let go!!" She wasn't doing any damage, and in one blow the creature took her hand too.

They tried to wiggle free, until they heard the creature speak with a very human, femenine voice. "Calm down! Calm down, guys!" Until now they dared to see at the thing. It was a girl, easily two or three years older than them. 

******

"Meiou Setsuna." The girl introduced herself, while giving the girls a couple more of leaves, who now had more than 54 types of leaves. "I'm camping here with my scout pack. Who are you?"

Haruka hadn't noticed the girl wore an uniform, with a neckerchief around her neck. Her own father had told her she would be able wear that same uniform when she was older, but that for now she wasn't able to go into a pack, because she was too young. "Tenou Haruka. And this is my friend, Kaiou Michiru. We're here in a field trip with our kindergarten class." Until then she realized that it wasn't the werewolf she had photographied; her hand flew to her head. "I wanted to photograph a werewolf."

Setsuna smiled. "There are no werewolves. At least not here." She sighed. "No one is able to go to the bathroom alone in the forest, it seems."

"You were...?!" Haruka's face turned red. "Sorry!"

"Oh don't worry." 

They talked for a while, taking leaves if they saw new ones; Haruka and Michiru were happy to know that Setsuna lived a few streets from Michiru's house, so they could visit whenever they wanted. Haruka was also happy to know that Setsuna invited her to make a part of the pack when she was older.

Setsuna looked to the sky, interrupting the talking. "I'll take you to the clearing, it's getting late and they're possibly looking for you."

******

Thirteen years later, Haruka and Michiru lay entangled in the bed. Haruka was widely awake; Michiru rested her head in Haruka's chest, embracing Haruka like she would to a teddy bear. Haruka smiled, and took two pictures from her drawer, both yellowed by the time. 

One showed the three of them, Setsuna and Michiru smashing Haruka in the middle, flashing a victory sign at the camera. Haruka remembered that day at the forest and couldn't but stiffle a laugh. Werewolves.

The other showed Haruka and Setsuna, older and wearing the same uniform Haruka had seen in Setsuna that day at the forest. Michiru appeared besides Haruka, who had her arm around Michiru's waist. She flashed that same smile she always showed when she was looking at Haruka; Haruka couldn't but smile back at the photograph.

A hand gently took the photographs, and placed them over Mr. Snuggles and Owen, over Haruka's drawer. The same hand took Haruka's face and soflty led her to her beloved's awaiting lips.

End

0o Oh my gosh, was that lame or what?

Well, a reviewer told me they should have a run in with Pluto; how would I do it, I had no idea. The scout pack was completely my lame-o idea; I'm sorry if you don't sympatize with Scouting matters. I had no other excuse for Setsuna to be camping.

For any doubts, you know what to do. And be kind, drop a review on your way out.

Again, this goes to my dearest Ari-chan; what's going on, gurl? 

Haruka aka Wing-kun


	4. Kindergarten Version 4.0: Too close.

"Oi, Michi!"

Michiru turned back to stare seriously at Haruka. She had been very serious this morning. Haruka was getting worried about her friend; it hadn't been a week since Michiru turned six and she shouldn't be this sad, after getting all those nice presents.

"Ohayo, Ruka."

"Michiru, you never say ohayo." Haruka was rather worried. "You just pounce at me..." Michiru was showing a lack of emotion that would be distressing to any other kindergarten boy. Haruka, however, kept calm. "Is there something wrong, Michi?"

Michiru sat down in the floor. In the rest of the classroom, their classmates played with their toys; in a corner, a small girl tried slowly to read. Haruka kneeled in front of Michiru. Her face paled when she noted Michiru had started weeping. "Michi! What's wrong?"

"It's my papa, Ruka... he's not alright."

******

"Moshimoshi?" Tenou Masaouichi passed his hand over his face after a surely nice, long nap. Unfortunately, there was always the phone...

"Papa!" 

"Haruka?" He looked at his clock and worried. "It's barely past eleven! Is there something wrong?"

"Papa, please, I need to go with Michiru in the evening!"

"Oh, youkai, you want to sleep in her house again?" He sighed in relief; so that was why she had borrowed the school phone? Quite the unpredictable little girl, he had said in the past.

"No, papa! Her daddy is very sick. He's in the hospital and she's been crying all day. I want to help her daddy to get alright!" She sounded like she was quite worried.

Masaouichi paled. Tsukime was sick? The man had grown to be a surrogate father to Haruka while he was on business trips; he felt he couldn't pay for all the favors the Kaoih family had done to the Tenou family. He thought cooly, then; if Tsukime was in the hospital, he was either seriously injured or very ill. 

"I'll pick you both out of school, Haruka."

"But..."

"No buts, Haruka, I'm talking to Michiru's mother."

He heard Haruka sigh quietly. "Okay, papa, we will be waiting here." Masaouichi hung up the phone, to call Kumori and ask for permission to pick up Michiru.

On the other side of the line, Haruka looked at Michiru. She hung up the phone, jumped down from the chair she was standing on, and slowly walked over to Michiru. She sat by her side.

"Are you okay, Michi?"

Michiru sobbed quietly, but looked at Haruka and nodded, trying to smile a little and failing miserably.

"Care to tell me what happened?"

Michiru sniffed. Haruka, almost giggling, took a tissue from her front pocket and handed it to Michiru, who forced a smile

"Papa... he fell down... from the st-stairs..." She cleaned the tears from her small face. "It was... three days... ago... He... he was going to... st-start up the car... when mama found him, his... his eyes... Oh Haruka, his eyes were white! There w-was blood over his eyebrow... I was scared, Haruka! He was very p-p-pale..."

Haruka embraced her friend. "If you don't want to tell me what else happened, it's okay..." She whispered.

Michiru couldn't muster the strenght to nod; she only burrowed deeper into her friend's hug and cried.

******

"Thank you so very much, Masaouichi-kun." Kumori said. Dark circles surrounded her eyes and it was noticed by Haruka's father that with the brief change of climate when she dropped Michiru off at the kindergarten, she had been in the Hospital many days in a row. "I've been here so much time I lost my count of the hours. Thank you for taking Michiru here."

"This has been surely horrifying to her, Kumori-san." Masaouichi said. "She barely speaked on the way here, no matter how Haruka tried." He shook his head. "What is it, anyhow? What has Tsukime-kun got?"

"Tsuki... Tsuki was a very sick boy when he was younger... doctors could never find a reason for his weaknesses." Kumori motioned for them to sit down, away from the children, who were being entertained by the headnurse; Michiru was smiling, thought barely. "He started getting stronger and stronger when he grew up, of course. Great proof of it is Michiru." She weakly smiled when she turned to see her child. "However, in the last year, Tsuki returned to having great migraines; so hard on the head they forced him to stay in bed. Just last month..." Kumori seemed to loose her strenght at words. "... our family doctor... he found a big tumor in his brain." Masaouichi could only offer a shoulder so Kumori could sob privately. He helped her to her husband's room. " It's possible... he.. he won't make it."

****** 

Masaouichi stared down the window. Kumori had fallen asleep in a chair at Tsukime's room, almost drowned by her own tears. Haruka and Michiru had just been given permission to enter, under the promise not to make any noise. 

Michiru had just asked Haruka to help her push a chair to sit by her father's side; Haruka complied and sat on one of the handles while Michiru sat in the chair. Haruka knew why Michiru was so sad; she had felt just as sad when her mommy died; thought, she was younger when that happened and the only explanation anyone would give her was that her mommy was in Heaven. 

A year later, much older and wise, Haruka knew the truth; her mother had been badly injured in a car accident. Maybe that was why she loved car racing so much? To beat the cause of her mother's death?

Haruka noticed that while Michiru carressed her father's hand, Masaouichi had also fallen asleep; it was late, after all, many hours past their sleep time. To tell the truth, she didn't feel like sleeping. And she was sure Michiru wasn't feeling like it, too.

Michiru felt like there wasn't any other reason to cry; her eyes felt swollen and dry; everytime she felt like she was going to sob only a very dry cough or hiccup left her sore throat. 

She climbed into bed; if her papa was going ANYWHERE without her, she just wanted to say goodbye, no mater what doctors said.

"I'm... sorry, papa." She hiccuped out. "I don't... want you to leave me. But, if you're going somewhere... please say goodbye." Her eyes stung as one more tear ran over her cheeks. "I'll be here. And mama will be here. Haruka and Haruka's daddy will be here to take care of us if you're not here." She leaned on her father, trying to embrace the big but fragile man in her small arms. She kissed his cheek, trying to hang on the longer she could. "Goodbye."

Haruka felt sorry for Michiru. Having to say goodbye in this horrible way when Michiru wasn't sure her father would be hearing her, and couldn't answer. She flung off the chair and took hold of Tsukime's hand.

"Sorry, Tsukime-san."

******

Nurse Tachikawa felt like falling asleep in the line of duty. It was one of those early mornings in which you had to wait for your day to get started. Even thought she had only started her shift, she felt like leaving it.

A couple of minutes later, she saw what she considered no one would see on the early shift.

Kaioh Tsukime, male, 37. His diagnosis had been terminal brain cancer fifty eight days ago. Three days ago, many parts of his brain had shut down; he fell into a coma by falling face first from his house stairs. 

And today he was walking around in the waiting room, with a stern look on his face, carrying his passed out wife on one hand, and taking his happy daughter's hand with the other.

"Can someone help me?" He asked out; as soon as he spotted Nurse Tachikawa, his eyebrows lowered in a worried way. "I think she passed out..."

******

Thirteen years later, Haruka let herself float in the marvelous hands of her lover. Who would ever know that Michiru could give such relaxing massages? Counting the fact that without clothes, skin against skin, the feeling was more intense, Haruka felt like she had flown to the seventh heaven; and she was most definitely staying there.

"So you really think it was us?"

"Who else? He had cancer, for all gods aches, Haruka. Terminal." Michiru asked, touching a point in which Haruka was so tense that she flinched. 

"Ow!" Haruka took it like Michiru wanted to emphazise her point; still, that really hurt.

"That's the crybaby I know and love..." Michiru joked, leaning against her lover's body. Haruka instantly relaxed; feeling Michiru's slim body against her own always had a soothing effect. And an arousing effect. And many things more; still, Haruka was so deep in her cloud that she couldn't quite understand them all.

Owen and Mr. Snuggles rested over the pillow on Michiru's side of the bed; the poor bear and octopus seemed to be abandoned by their owners. But on the other side, who had a better seat to hear that story than they had?

Haruka pressed her body against Michiru's warm one; with only one look at her eyes, Michiru just knew what Haruka intended for the rest of the night.

And it was alright with her.

-----------------------------------------------------------

So much for ending Kindergarten, but what the hell, it's given me more satisfaction to write this than I had in a couple of months.

Then, I guess you WILL HAVE your part five... even if it costs me my fingertips.

Oh, and I will have Mr. Snuggles give you a kiss if you tell me who said "Can someone help me? I think she passed out." before I did.

Ari, fer yeh! 

Washu, thank you so much for the fanart! This goes for you too!

And I'm sorry for the rest of the readers; I'm pretty much sure this wasn't the best of Kindergarten, so I promise to make up for everything in Part Five, ok?


End file.
